Posted on 07/03/2007 8:07:33 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Former President Bill Clinton criticized President Bush on Tuesday for commuting the prison sentence of I. Lewis Libby Jr. and tried to draw a distinction from his own controversial pardons.
In Iowa to promote the presidential candidacy of his wife, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Mr. Clinton was asked by a radio host, David Yepsen, “You had some controversial pardons during your presidency; what’s your reaction to what President Bush did?”
“Yeah, but I think the facts were different,” Mr. Clinton said. “I think there are guidelines for what happens when somebody is convicted. You’ve got to understand, this is consistent with their philosophy; they believe that they should be able to do what they want to do, and that the law is a minor obstacle.”
“It’s wrong to out that C.I.A. agent and wrong to try to cover it up,” Mr. Clinton added. “And no one was ever fired from the White House for doing it.”
Mr. Clinton pardoned 140 people in the final hours of his presidency, including Marc Rich, the fugitive broker who had been charged with evading tens of millions of dollars in taxes, and who was the former husband of a top donor to Democrats and Mrs. Clinton’s first Senate campaign.
Rather than tread lightly on the Libby commutation, the Clintons have chosen to confront it; Clinton advisers said there was no real alternative, because the news media would bring up the Rich pardon anyway.
Still, the Clintons have not scheduled a news conference during their visit, where they might face tough questioning, nor have they permitted reporters to attend private events, some including as many as 300 people, where people ask Mrs. Clinton questions. All of their public events have been rallies where the two of them speak.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
the Devil’s Advocate speaks
STFU klintoon, you slimy bass-turd!
Bill Clinton criticizing President Bush on pardoing Libby, has more irony than a black fly in a glass of milk.
....Bill must have thought he was on a Saturday Night Live comedy skit....ok, Bill, enough, I’m on the floor holding my sides.....
:}
Christ, this late at night and I need another keyboard. - That is outright hilarious!
And I don't need to see the words "Clinton" and "Bush" together in the same sentence ever again...
Like not getting paid 6 figures in return for the pardon
Wow ... I’m really surprised that the impeached former president had the gall to make a statement like this. Then again, maybe not. Gotta get back to the White House so that he can diddle Hillary’s interns.
Bill Clinton pardoned his OWN half brother... Roger Clinton
Does anyone else wanna’ slap clinton...or is it just me?
No, the bloggers and talk radio are bringing up Rich and the other scumbags pardoned by Slick, that is why the Xlintons had no choice but to address the issue head-on.
And Xlinton knows that most people never heard of Marc Rich anyway and the MSM will just gloss it over as old news. Man I wish the Bush administration had the stones to fight back against these mofos.
Interestingly enough, Scooter Libby was Marc Rich's long-time lawyer.
Armitage, you're fired!
How this man can say this stuff and not be afraid of lightening bolts is amazing. I guess he figures he's gotten away with it for this long.
Wow! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
Bill Clintongave pardons to Mel Reynolds, the child molester, who now works for Jesse Jackson, to FALN terrorists, who were convicted bombers, and... Ta Da! Marc Rich! Interestingly enough, it was Scooter Libby who worked FOR Rich at the time, trying to get his pardon... And it was Fitz who was trying to keep Rich from being pardoned...
Anybody think it was a bit of a “come-uppance?”
Mark
Notice how he did not say; "the facts were different!" ?
A typical clue to spot a lie spoken by a liar - and he didn't even notice it.
I'll bet a whole lot of dectives and judges just did.
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